The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-02-12
TosAcco CONSUMPTION.


Tremendous QUANTITY Of the Weed Used
In the Leading Countries Of the World.
Tea. coffee and cocoa are articles OF
common consumption, but the use OF
tobacco is. with some immaterial ex-
ceptions, limited to one sex. For this
reason we find the consumption per
head of the population, published in
the annual reports of her Majss ty
Commissioners of Inland Revenue, in
terest.ng enough in relation to Preside
beverages. but not quite SO valuable
when applied as gauge to the con-
sumption of the weed-fragrant or
otherwise. 1t is of little consequence
to learn that twenty-three ounces per
head represents the consumption of
tobacco in the United Kingdom when
We recollcct that a great proportion of
1.-THE heads" belong to housewives who
drive their spouses into the back gar
den to smoke their post-prandial pipe.
and to ciphers of humanity more
familiar with the tube of feeding-bot-
tie than that of q hookah. Yet by
means of the figures at our disposal we
have ample data enabling us to arrive
ut near approximate to the aggregate
number of the inhabitants of these
Islands belonging to the brotherhood of
the pipe.
The male population of the United
Kingdom exceeding Is years of age
was, in round numbers, 10, $50, 900 on
The date OF the last enumeration. From
information received for the purpose of
the present article we feel justified in
stating that one-half the indoor COM.
mercial classes, clerks, shopmen. etc.,
may be described as regular smokers.
Among the artisan classes, farm labor
ers and all those who are at liberty to
smoke during working hours, the pro-
portion of smokers must be considera-
bly, larger, SO that it may be assumed
that go per cent. of the male population
exceeding 15-years ofage have acquired
the habit On this basis we find the
number of smokers to be about 6, $780,
900. and the average capitation con-
sumption of tobacco about eight pounds
three ounces This is hardly an ex-
travagant figure, as it is only e1uiva-
lent to two and half ounces per week
per smoker. In money value it repre-
sents an Individual expenditure OF, say.
2guineas per annum. or gross sum
of f12.9i5.000. Oddly enough this
amount is just one hals Of that received
by the railway companies for the con-
yeyance of all classes of passengers
during the year 1881. Two other pecu-
liarities may be here mentioned in con-
-nection with the consumption of to-
bacco-namely, that half gallon of
spirits and something more than half u
barrel of beer was consumed for eacl
pound of tobacco cleared by the excise
authorities.
While the yearly consumption of to-
bacco has increased from 25.00o,000 to
53, 900, 00J OF pounds since 1S4l, the
United Kingdom is still a long way be-
hind other countries. except Italy, in
the use of it, In Belgian and Holland
the average per head OF the total pop
ulation is as high rs 81 ounces; in
Switzerland. 81; Austria, 80; Germany.
~; United States, SO; and so on. Rus
STA approxiniating most nearly with
"a ounces, while Italy consumes
% Ounces. For the financial year end
ing 31st March last. there were sol
manufacturers and 1000 retail deal
crs who took out licenses from the ex-
else authorities. As large number
of dealers in tobacco hold beer and
spirit licenses. it is to be presumed that
this peculiarly of the trade explains
the discrepancy between the excise
and census returns. In the latter the
number of persons working and deal
ing in pipes and tobacco England and
Walcs) Z is set down at 22,l75, includ-
ing 142 Germans, % Poles. as Russians
and lesser numbers of Danes, Norwe-
gians. Swedes, Austrians. Hungarians
and Swiss. -Pdy Mall Gazette.